Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right, and his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, shake hands in the Geihinkan state guest house in Tokyo on Sept. 27. (Pool)

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to sign a new joint security declaration with his Australian counterpart during his visit there to enhance their respective countries’ defense cooperation.

Kishida departed on the morning of Oct. 21 from Haneda Airport in Tokyo for his meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Just before departing, Kishida told reporters that he hopes his trip will be “an opportunity to discuss the direction of future cooperation in security.”

Japan and Australia have already struck a joint declaration on security cooperation in 2007.

Then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Australian counterpart, John Howard, signed the declaration.

In it, the two countries pledged to cooperate regarding a peaceful solution of issues surrounding North Korea, such as the country’s nuclear weapons and missiles and the Japanese who have been abducted.

They also declared their cooperation in combating terrorism, among other issues.

The two countries have further enhanced their cooperation since then through joint drills between Australia’s armed forces and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, foreign and defense ministers’ meetings (“two-plus-two”) and other means.

In January, Japan and Australia signed the reciprocal access agreement, which facilitates their troops’ visiting each other’s countries for training.

With the new declaration, Japan hopes to strengthen a partnership between it and Australia, both of which uphold principles such as the rule of law, freedom of navigation and free trade.  

China has increased its presence in the East China Sea, the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean regions.

In April, China struck a security agreement with the Solomon Islands, a country in the South Pacific.

To respond to such moves, Japan has also enhanced its cooperation with AUKUS, a trilateral security pact between Australia, Britain, and the United States.

One of Japan’s key foreign policy agenda items is the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) initiative, a strategy Abe initiated in 2016.

Japan intends to use the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD)--a strategic security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan and the United States--to help achieve the initiative.

STABLE SUPPLIER OF ENERGY

Kishida also hopes to strengthen Japan’s relationship with Australia in energy during his visit.

“I would like to have frank discussions on the importance of having a stable provision of resources and energy now and in the future,” Kishida said to reporters just before departing.

Australia is the largest exporter of liquified natural gas (LNG) to Japan, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Around 40 percent of imported LNG to Japan comes from Australia.

A stable provision of energy from Australia has proven essential for Japan after energy and resource prices rose due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Kishida is scheduled to visit a nickel refinery in Australia on Oct. 22 as part of his itinerary.

When speaking about Kishida’s trip at a news conference on Oct. 19, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno stressed that Japan aims to enhance its cooperation with Australia in security, defense and the economy, as well as toward achieving the FOIP initiative.

Albanese became prime minister of Australia’s Labor government in May, when the center-left party rose to power.

In the same month, he visited Japan and attended a QUAD meeting, which was held in Tokyo to coincide with U.S. President John Biden’s visit to the country.

Albanese also attended the state funeral of Abe in September, meaning he visited Japan twice in six months.

Kishida is visiting Australia over the weekend, which observers say indicates his desire to build a personal relationship with Albanese.

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